BEIJING — China's civil aviation authorities seek to enhance the international air logistics sector, to sustain the domestic supply chain and facilitate the "dual circulation" of domestic and international markets.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is committed to making more efforts to boost the fast and healthy growth of the sector by drafting different policies for passenger and cargo transports, according to the CAAC.

It will also support air-cargo-related infrastructure construction, optimize the airport slot allocation and enhance comprehensive support capacities in the air logistics sector.

Air cargo transport plays an important role in emergency medical supplies delivery in the fight against COVID-19 and sustaining the domestic and global supply chain.

China has introduced various measures to support the sector by simplifying flights approval procedures, opening green channels to chartered cargo flights, and supporting passenger aircraft on cargo missions.

Data from the CAAC showed that in the first half of 2021, China's civil aviation industry handled more than 3.74 million metric tons of air freight, a 6.4 percent rise from the corresponding period in 2019, before the pandemic.